2016 Eclipse Awards: Ken and Sarah Ramsey

Ken and Sarah Ramsey have made winning the mission in every facet of their Thoroughbred holdings, both in quality and quantity, and it has paid off in national-level recognition on a yearly basis.

The Nicholasville, Ky., couple has enjoyed rousing success on the racetrack with homebred runners by their sire Kitten’s Joy and through astute navigation of the claiming game.

That combination of strategies earned the Ramseys an unprecedented sweep of the owner and breeder Eclipse Awards in consecutive years in 2014 and 2015. They also earned Eclipse Awards for outstanding owner in 2004 and 2011. This year marks the sixth time the Ramseys have been finalists for the outstanding owner award since 2000.

This year’s campaign produced what has become routine success for the Ramsey clan. The Ramseys were third among North American owners by wins (129) and earnings ($6,661,753) in 2016. They tallied eight meet titles over the year, taking all three meetings at Churchill Downs, the spring and fall meets at Keeneland, the championship meet at Gulfstream Park, and meets at Kentucky Downs and Turfway Park.

:: Eclipse Awards: 2016 finalists with profiles

The highest-profile winner under the Ramsey colors was Al’s Gal, who went from a $35,000 claim in 2015 to a victory in the Grade 1 E.P. Taylor Stakes a year later.

The Ramseys also picked up their 2016 Kentucky Derby starter through the claim box, snagging eventual Grade 3 winner Oscar Nominated as a juvenile for $75,000.

Their homebred contingent was led by multiple Grade 2 winner Camelot Kitten and Grade 3 winner Smokem Kitten.